Researching May family - various locations

[Nick Carver]

Surname research interests in Berkshire - mainly for people to pick up if they are searching on one particular name.

Have just uncovered links to the May family of Reading, Thatcham and other places.

George MAY, b Reading, 1812 was the son of Hugh MAY & Letitia BOWER, who married 1811 in St Mary's Reading. Besides George, they had Sarah, Daniel, William, Thomas and Henry. George married in Newington and lived in Camberwell thereafter for the rest of his life.

Hugh MAY was born in Thatcham in 1786, son of George MAY and Mary CLEMENTS, who married in Winterbourne in 1768. Their children were born in Chieveley and were Annie 1770, William 1775 and John 1778.

More info available if anyone recognises any of these names.

[AndyinBC]

Hi Nick,

I have reasonably well documented May family history from current back to George (b1809 - d1852). His father was James (b1778 - d1866), whose father was George (b1740 - d ) All were from Chieveley or Oare (Thatcham) districts.

Some of the given names in your post, (Hugh, George, Mary, Sarah, Daniel), are very common in the May line.

Any chance we're looking at the same line?

Andy

[Nick Carver]

I think if you have Letitia Bower in your tree, the chances are pretty high. The name Letitia recurs in the family, indeed my gg grandmother was Sarah Anne Letitia May. I don't have much more information on the Mays other than what I have posted, but I am in contact with other people interested in the same line, so would be happy to compare notes and see what we can produce.

[Andy May]

Hi Nick & Andy ,

I too have a Berkshire MAY (and BERRY) connection .
First definite documented sighting is Charles MAY B abt 1832 at East Ilsley .
He's on 1851 Census as Grocer's Assistant on Cheap St , Thatcham (H0107/1685/F74/Pg6) .
He married a few years later (1855) at St Mary's , Marylebone , to Jane Berry (b  1834 Ludgershall , Wilts , d 1864) His father is shown as Henry MAY , Carpenter .
They had 2 children , William John (1861) & Thomas (1864) both Places of Birth given as 1 Bishops Yard , Charles St , St George Hanover Square . Sadly , the 1861 Census for this area appears to have gone astray . Jane's untimely death (Dec) was not connected with Thomas' birth (March).

By Feb 1871 he's re-married ... to Jane's sister Elizabeth BERRY ! ( b abt 1842 Thacham ,Berks ... or Tidworth , Wilts) . Their first born is  Frederick MAY (b 1871)  , place of birth given as 60 Suffolk St , Poplar - altho' they are not there a few months later at the time ofthe census. His occupation at this time given as "Foreman of Dairy" . Three more children appear (Emma 1875 , Louisa 1876 , Ada 1880) and all of these appear in 1881 at 27 Farrance St , Poplar - where he describes himself as "Commercial Clerk (Coal & Coke)".

No further documented sightings of Charles MAY after 1881 .
He was my GrtGrtGrandfather . William John was my GrtGrandfather (d 1916) .

Please let me know if you think there may be any connections or if you have any further info on any of these !

Cheers
Andy

[DHLB]

Hi everybody. I've got Berkshire Mays too, mostly Wolverton.
 
I've got Martha May, married John Brooks in 1820, and I think her parents were John May, b c1785 and Sarah Goddard . that's
 as far as I've got with the Mays, although I have a lot on the Brooks, if anyone's interested

Di